Our Final Ghost Town - Elkhorn MT

Elkhorn, Montana in the late 1800s.

History

Lodes of silver, described by geologists as supergene enrichments, were initially discovered in the Elkhorn Mountains by Peter Wys, a Swiss immigrant. Six years later, Anton Holter, a pioneer capitalist from Helena, began developing the mine. Over $14 million in silver was carried from the mine. In 1890, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act passed, creating a high demand for Elkhorn's silver.

During this peak period, Elkhorn had 2,500 inhabitants, a school, a hotel, a church, stores, saloons, and brothels. Unlike most mining towns, Elkhorn was populated mostly by families of married European immigrants.^[5] In 1893, the Fraternity Hall was constructed for social gatherings, and still remains as one of the most well-preserved buildings in modern Elkhorn.

In the years following, the silver boom and Elkhorn's prosperity began to lessen as the desire for silver decreased. A diphtheria epidemic struck Elkhorn in the winter of 1888–1889, resulting in many deaths, particularly of children.^[5] Soon after, railroad service to Elkhorn was halted and only a fraction of the original inhabitants remained.

The state of Montana designated Fraternity Hall and Gillian Hall as Elkhorn State Park in 1980.^[6]

Following is from Legends of America

Situated in the Elkhorn Mountains of Montana is the once-prosperous mining camp of Elkhorn. Though it still boasts just a few remaining residents, this small town today is a far cry from the bustling activity it displayed more than a century ago. 

Rich silver deposits were first discovered here by a Swiss immigrant by the name of Peter Wyes in 1870. However, for Mr. Wyes, it would not be a bonanza, as he died mysteriously within a few years of his discovery. In 1875, a Norwegian man named Anton M. Holter, who had already made a name for himself as an entrepreneur and mining magnate, acquired Wyes' claim and developed what was at first called the Holter Lode.

Before long, word got out of the rich silver ores to be mined in the area and a number of other mines were developed including the C & D, Golden Curry, Hard Cash, and Union Mines.

The ore from the Elkhorn Mine, the largest in the district, was initially processed with a 5-stamp mill, but by 1881, the mine had reached a depth of 300 feet and needed better refining methods. For a year, the mine then sat silently until further capital could be gained. The Elkhorn Mining Company then took over the property, quickly developing the operation to include a new hoist, and a 10 stamp-chloridizing mill, which was able to process about 11 tons of ore per day. In 1884, a mill was built, and the following year, a smelter. In the late 1880's Elkhorn reached its peak, supporting a population of about 2500 people, with many more living in the surrounding gulches.  

Lining Main Street were three hotels, a post office, a two-lane bowling alley, four ice houses, several retail stores, a barbershop, blacksmith, livery, and numerous saloons. The town also boasted a Methodist Church, a school, and hundreds of homes, cabins, and boarding houses.

Unlike many other gold camps that were called home to large groups of rowdy single men, Elkhorn's residents primarily comprised of European immigrant families, who worked not only in the mines but also as woodcutters in the forest.

In 1888, the Elkhorn Mining Company increased its stamp mills to 25 and was working the mine some 800 feet below ground, bringing out about $30,000 in ore each month. The next year, the company sold out to a London syndicate for $500,000, which retained the name of the mine, remodeled the mill, and began aggressive development. Hauling the ore got easier too that year when the Northern Pacific Railroad established a branch line from Elkhorn to Boulder.

In May 1893, work began on a new Fraternity Hall for the town to serve as a social center. Also located on Main Street, the two-story building featured a large hall on its first floor and a large meeting room on the second. Built in a modified Greek Revival architectural style, the Fraternity Hall today still stands and is one of the most photographed buildings in the state.

Various lodge meetings were held upstairs, while community events, such as talent shows, dances, concerts, traveling theatre productions, and public meetings were held on the first floor. Outdoor social events were also popular in the camp, such as horse races, rock drilling contests, baseball games, town picnics, and skating parties.

By the time the Fraternity Hall was completed; however, Elkhorn's population had already fallen dramatically, and by then numbered only about 600 people. But Elkhorn's days were numbered as the mining began to taper off, but the Elkhorn Mine continued operations full time until 1900.

The following year, the Elkhorn Mine sold again and revived operations briefly as the Elkhorn Silver Mining Company. After a new mill was erected, many of the old mine dumps were processed. However, when the mine began to fill with water and silver prices remained low, it closed again.

In 1906, the water was gotten rid of and the mine opened again, employing about 60 men. By 1908, the workers were treating only mill tailings, which continued on and off again until 1937. Once the mining began to decline, the railroad service to Elkhorn was discontinued and in 1931, the tracks were removed. Over the decades, the Elkhorn Mine produced more than $14 million in silver ore.

The town of Elkhorn; however, never truly died, and since the day it began, it has always been populated, though often very sparsely.

Today, the preserved Fraternity Hall and Gillian Hall are part of the smallest state park in Montana and are open for visitors.

All other properties in the old mining camp are private and many are occupied. The historic cemetery can also be viewed, which unfortunately holds the graves of dozens of children who died in 1888 and 1889 as the result of a harsh winter and diphtheria epidemic.

Though Elkhorn is located just eight miles northwest of Boulder, Montana, it is 18 miles by road. From the Boulder exit on I-15, travel south on State Highway 69, about 7 miles, to a well-marked county gravel road. Then turn north and after crossing the Boulder River, turn right. At all other junctions, keep left and travel about 11 miles.

Contact Information:

Elkhorn
930 Custer Avenue
West Helena, Montana  59601

© Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated December 2019. 

 

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Susan, Tilly, Dakota & me

DaGirls Travels

Remember the 3 W's

2nd Ghost Town Marysville MT

Date Settled: 1876

Current Population: 80

Peak Population: ~1,500

Primary Mineral: Gold

Map: View on Google Maps

Sitting just four miles below the Continental Divide and some 25 miles northwest of Helena, Montana is the once-thriving mining camp of Marysville. The settlement got its start when Irishman Tommy Cruse discovered a rich vein of gold on Silver Creek in 1876. A placer miner who had been working downstream, Tommy continued upstream hoping to find the mother lode, and lo and behold, was the lucky man to find it.

Dead broke, Cruse had to borrow money to work his claim, but eventually developed the Drumlummon Mine. Almost immediately he recovered more than $140,000 in ore from the mine.

Within a short time of Cruse's find, word spread of the rich gold vein, and miners began to flood the area

Cruse named the new mining camp Marysville for its first female resident, Mary Ralston. The mine itself was named for the parish in Ireland, where Cruse was born. In 1880, Cruse built a five-stamp mill near the Drumlummon Mine. The following year, the Marysville Post Office was opened in February 1881 and by that time the small settlement was flourishing with numerous businesses.

In 1884, Cruse sold the Drumlummon Mine to an English Corporation for one million dollars in cash and another ½ million in stock. He then moved to Helena where he built a mansion, started a couple of banks and at the age of 50, married a young woman. However, just a year later, his new bride died in childbirth and Cruse became restless. He soon returned to the Marysville area and bought the Bald Mountain Mine on Bald Butte above town, which over the years, produced hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold, silver, copper and lead ore.

Within two years of the sale of the Drumlummon Mine, the English company built 110 stamp mills to process the ore. During the 1880s and 1890s, Marysville boomed, with not only the Drumlummon Mine but also 12 additional mines in the area. The town soon boasted some 60 businesses, including 27 saloons, 7 hotels, three newspapers, grocery and drug stores, a bank, a dry-goods store, a bakery, three churches, two doctors, and numerous other businesses. At that time, the mining camp was serviced by two railroads, mining operations operated 24 hours a day, and the area sported as many as 4,000 people. A school was later built that accommodated over 250 children.

Marysville was also a very social community during its heydays, with numerous local activities including ice cream socials, garden parties, concerts by the Marysville Brass Band, and drilling contests, whereby the miners would compete to see who could work the drill into huge boulders of hard rock the fastest. Miners around the world competed in these contests, vying for World's Drilling Record. One such event in the Marysville area was said to have drawn over a thousand spectators.

Unfortunately, at the turn of the century, the rich ores were becoming depleted, the mine was involved in a lawsuit with the nearby St. Louis Mining Company over boundary rights, production slowed and people began to move from Marysville.

To make matters worse, the town suffered a devastating fire in 1909 which destroyed several of its buildings. However, the town persevered and rebuilt

In the meantime, the lawsuit was finally settled, and the Drumlummon Mine was bought out by the St. Louis Mining company in 1911 and though it continued to be worked until 1948, Marysville was dying.

By the 1950's many of the homes were moved to other areas, while others stood silent and abandoned to the elements, which over the last half-century, nature has taken its toll.

Though the exact amount of ore taken from the Drumlummon and other area mines vary, estimates say that some $50 million in ore was taken from the area mines.

Today, Marysville is a sidewalk of history, with numerous old buildings dotting the landscape, as well as its historic (though unkempt) cemetery. The old graveyard has but just a few headstones left that are visible but includes several graves of a mining disaster that occurred at the nearby Belmont Mine in 1891.

In town, several buildings remain including the 1895 J.A. Shaffer Mercantile, the Masonic Lodge, Nels Lund Saloon, the 1886 Methodist Church, the schoolhouse, and lots more. The hillsides are dotted with cabins and mining remains.

But changes have been coming to Marysville in the last several years, as it has slowly progressed into a bedroom community of Helena, as well as a summer destination for many who have rehabilitated existing old buildings and built brand new homes.

Marysville was due for more change, as the high price of gold in the late 2000s saw the Drumlummon Mine re-opened, however in the summer of 2013 after the price dropped from its peak, the mine stopped operations.

Though Marysville has slowly moved on into the 21st century, its old legends and tales persist. According to the lore of this old mining camp, there are numerous strange events that take place in the area. Locals say that Marysville and the surrounding area is haunted by a number of unearthly spirits which include some ghastly tales.

Near Marysville, an unexplainable hunter, who is riding a bicycle and appears to be severely mangled, has been sighted pulling a dead wolf. Nearby, a headless woman has been spotted on the summit of Bald Butte. Another, not so welcome guest, has been spied in American Gulch. This gentleman is said to be an old miner with a big mustache and a hook right hand. Another probable miner, who also appears headless, has been seen near 1 Spring.

Ghosts or no ghosts, the community of Marysville is a wonderful stop for ghost town enthusiasts.

To get to Marysville from Helena, travel north on I-15 for about 9 miles, then turn left (west) at exit 200 onto Lincoln road/CR-279/CR-453 for about 10 miles, then left again at Marysville Road for about 6 miles.

Special reconnision to Kathy Weiser of Legends of America, although I did not find this until after we located Marysville.

© Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated November 2019.

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Historic Marysville Train Trestle and Mine.

Marysville Montana 2008, from left to right, the Marysville Masonic Lodge, built in 1898, the J.A. Shaffer Mercantile, built in 1895, and the Lush Confectionary Store. Kathy Weiser-Alexander. Click for prints and products.

Safe Travels and Journeys

Susan, Tilly, Dakota and me

DaGirls Rv

Remember the 3 W's